Connection-switch.



' mfaamsa PATBNTE'D MAY 12,v 1908.

P. R. M0BERTY & G. K. THOMPSQN.

A CONNECTION SWITCH. APPLICATION FILED DBO. '1, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Gf'j. A

@ I r gf -PATENTED MAY l2, 1908. F. R. MUBERTY & G. K. THOMPSON.'

GONNEGTIQN SWITCH. Arrmonlol FILED DB0. 7, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

-eTENTCHHnoE- con.

GONNE eTIoN-SWITCH.

Application filed December .To all wi/o'nz 'it muy confiera.'

Be. it known that we, Gnononltl. l`11. 2\trsox, residingabNewt'on I lighlandsutl'olk country, Massaehusetts, and FnANn lt. Melnn'rv, residing at lflvaneton, (,oolt eounty, Illinois, eiti- Zeus ol the United States, have invented a.

-er-irtain new and uselul improvement in tonneetJitni-Switehes, o'lI which the following is a full, Clear. eoneise, and exaet deseription.

Our invention relates to a connection .iswiteh vl'or eleetrie circuits, and more partioularly to a switeh adapted for use where telephone instruments are to he eonneeted with eireuits whieh are so plueed as to he liable to crosses with other eireuits earl-ving'heavy currents. sueh as eleetrie railway or power eireuits.

lt is l'requentlv considered desirable in eleotrie. railway wort, to have a telephone line extending alongside the traelt' with switch terminals at intervals, at any one ol' which a porarily eonneeted.

Our invention is direeted partieularly toward a d t'iee whieh will he well adapted to servo as the terminal eonneetor olh the port- :lfhle telephone set, to engage and eot'iperate .with any l' the stationair)Y switeh terminals ot the telephone line. to estahlish a eonneetion.

Uur ohjeet is to provide a eonneetor whieh will he simple, strong. reliahle and ellieient, and whieh will all'ord the user adequate pro-V tieetion againsty injury `trom high tension eurrents whieh may aeeidentallv eome upon the telephone line. Y "o will deserihe our invention partaienlarly h v rel'erenee to the tn'eompanving drawings, and the. parts, imlnovementr or eomhinations eonsidered to he novel will he pointed out in the appended elaims.

ln the drawinti's, Vl `gure l is a side view ol our improved eonneetor) the inelosingll holder heing shown in seetion to reveal the working parts; Fig. 2 is a similar view talien at right angles to Fig. t Fig. 3 is a` longitudinal seetfional View on line .9V-I3 ol`Y Fig. l Fig. 4 shows the eonneetor in engagement with a station ary plug terminal olv a telephonel Circuit.- to make. eonneetion therewith, the inelosing ease heing partly hrolien away; Fig. 5 is an end View; Fig. 6 is a eross-seetiion on line. 6-6 ot Fig. l 5 and Fig. 7 is a diagram showing the Specification of. Lettere Patient.

7 1904. Serial N0. 235.859

portable telephone set.` may he. tene Patented May 12, 1908,

' eireuits ol a. telephone sot with which our improved eontteetor may he enuiiloyed.

rlhe same letters ol reference are used to designate the. same parts whenever they are l shown. l t

. 'l`he swit'eh is essentially a sort o'l movable springjaek, having its eontaetJ parts arranged to he eonneeted respectively with the several eonduetors ol'l a llexihle switeheord leading to the telephone. instrument. The Contact Aparts are mounted upon a trame which is inelosed in a tithe o ol insulating material, open at one end 'lor the ree-option ofthe plugand having the eonduet'ing eord l led in through a hole in the rear end. 'The plugI p with which this springjaek eonneet'or is adapted to engage, is provided with tip, ring and sleeve eontaots similar to an ordinarjt7 three part plug, sueh as used in telephone switohhoards, exeept that it is pre''erahlv ahout twice as large. The. tip and ring eontaets p p2 oin the plug will in praetiee he eomteeted to the two sides oll the metallie eireuit telephone line', while they shank or leleeve. eontaet will be `grounded.

The sprntgjaek is provided with a metallic tuhe or guide e at 'the mouth,and two eontaet springs t" ("1 are arranged in the inside of the deviee, with their l'ree ends aty dillerent distanees Yl'rom the l'ront oll the tuhe 'in position to engage the tip and ring` eontaots, respeetivelv` oll an inserted plug. The framework oll the springjaek is preferably hrass, lhaving annular enlargements at eaeh end, adapted to lit elosely in the inelosing hard ruhher tuhe o, the enlargement; at the toi-ward end eonstitutingthe thimhle of tu* hular guide e to reeeive the plug. The hotly two tlat parallel plates or strips d fl uniting the end portions. lhe eont'aet springs e et are Supported upon the outer sides ol' these llat plates, whieh are. eut awakvy or provided with openings near the forward end, through whieh inwardly-inuit free ends ol the springs projeet nearlyr to the axis olr the tuhe. The springs are insulated from' the Sup )orting plates d d hy :suitable insulating 'p etes or strips e e, whieh are rnelerahly of mieafnite. The eonnet springs e cl are electrically eonnet-*ted through tusesff with terminal pieces g g"c at there r, to whieh the conductors i 712 ot the. flexihlo eord /i may be attached, pref -portion olI the frame prel'erzthl)Y eonsists' of.

los

erably by soldering. rlhe third conductor h3 of the cord may be connected to a terminal iece `which is mounted directly upon the aine d and so is in electrical connection with the tubular guide e3 at the front. The fuses are preferably of the well-known type shown, the fuse Wire being inclosed in fiber insulat- 'ing tubes with terminal washers at each end. In the device shown the fuses are mounted in the channels between the -two side dplates or strips d d of the frame, separate by a micaniteplate m; The inner sides of the twobrass strips are-lined with micanite side plates -m m, andthe plate m extends in a transverse plane along the iniddle between the plates m m', and is sup orted at the ends in insulating blocks k lc w ich are fastened f between the side strips. Said blocks k c may be rovided with slots to receive the ends of t e plate m, and may also-have mounted thereon the binding screw terminals which hold the end plates or terminals of the fuses.

Referring to Fig. 7, we have illustrated a telephone line A extending in two limbs 1. 2 parallel to a high tensionocircuit, such as a trolley line, with branches leading to the line contacts p p2 of a stationary switch member or plug p, the third contact p3 whereof is 'connected to earth. The telephone set shown is equipped with the connector ofour invention, whereby it may be temporarilyl united with thetelephone line through the medium of saidestation'ary switch member. The main conductors 3 4 lead from the telephone apparatus to the connector and thence through the fuses f to the, line springs c c2 thereof, the thim le or tubular contact piece of the connector being connected'by conductor 5 with the ground plate of a lightning arrester, whose line plates o o are connected with the conductors 3 4, respectivel Thus when the telephone line A is acci entally crossed with 'the'trolley line, as indicated at X, and the terminal connector is united with the stationary switch member, to connect the telephone set with the line1 the heavy current present in the line will pass through the fuses and lightning arresters to eart by way of the third contacts of the switch members, blowing the fuses and thereby disconnecting the telephone apparatus from the line and protecting the user of the set from injury. It will thus be apparent that the`fuses are so located that when blown, all the apparatus and conductors of the telephone set will be dead-that is, totally disconnected ron the tele hone line,-with the exception of the thir conductor 5, which is grounded by way of contacts cfi p3 before the other conductors are `oined to the line, in order to conduct the eavy current to earth. We claiinz- 1. In a springjack connector, the combinatio'n with a frame, of contact springs carried thereby,- protective devices lsupported b said frame and included ,in the circuits lea ing to said contact springs, and a cover for said connector adapted to serve as a handletherefor. I.

2, In a springj ack connector, the combination with a frame, of contact springs carried thereby, the l'ree ends of said springs lying behind an opening in one end ot the frame, rotective devices carried by the frame and included in the circuits leading to said con.- tact springs, and a cover iiiclosing said frame and protective devices.

3. In a springjack connector, the combination with a metallic frame, ol a tubular contact piece or tliiiiible formed by one end of the'frame, contact s rings mounted upon but insulated from sai( frainc, with their free nds lying behind the said tubular contact piece, and fuses carried by said frame, one oi said fuses being included in the circuit of each of said contact springs; Y

- 4. In aspringjack connector, the combination with a metallici'raine, oi a tubular contact piece formed by the iront end of said frame, contact springs mounted upon but in sula'ted from said frame, said springs ly'in r on o )posite sides of the axis of the frame aiiil para lel therewith, the free ends of said springs lying behind said tiibular contact piece, connection terminals carried at the rear end oi the'iiamc and electrically coniiected with said contact parts, fuses mounted within the frame between said contact` springs and said connection terminals, and a cover oi insulating material for said frame adapted to serve as a handle for the switch. 5. In a springj ack connector, the combination with a metallic frame, of a tubular contact piece formed by the front end of said freine, contact springs mounted upon but iiisulated from said frame, said ws rings lying on opposite sides of theaxis o the frame, and parallel therewith, the free ends thereof projecting into the axial plane of the frame and lying behind said tubular contact piece, binding screws carried at the rear of the iframe and electrically connected with said contact parts, insulating blocks mounted within said frame, fuses secured thereto, one oi-said fuses being included in the circuit oi each of said contact springs, said frame having an openingr in ytherear thereof )ermitting the entry of' conducting wires, ami a tubular coveroi insulating material 'l'or said Yframe adapted to serve as :Lhandle ll'or the connector. 6. In a springjack connector, the combination with a frame comprising end pieces and plates uniting the saine, s aid end pieces havmg openings therein, springs mounted upon said plates with their free ends lying behind the opening in the iront end piece, fuses su ported between said plates and included in the circuits leading to said springs, the openioo ing in the rear'end piece ermitting the entry of conducting wires lea ing to said contact parts, and a cover for said ame adapted to serve as a handle for the connector.

7. In a springj ack connector, the combination withva metallic frame comprising annular end pieces and plates uniting them, a tubular contact piece or thi'mble-ormed by the front end-piece, a springl mounted upon the outside of each of said plates and insulated r therefrom, said s rings extending through i frame, contact springs mounted upon but insulated from said frame, said springs lyin on oplposite sides of the axis of the frame an ara el therewith, the free ends thereof lying behind said tubular contact piece,. and a tubular insulatin cover for said frame adapted to ser've-as a andle for the connector.

9. In a springj ack connector, the combination with a frame comprising end pieces and plates uniting them, said end pieces having openings therein, springs mounted upon said` plates with their free, ends lying behind the vopening in the front end piece, the opening in the rear end piece permitting the entry of the conducting wires leading to.said contact parts, and a'cover for. said frame adapted to serve as a handle for the connector.

10. In a springjack connector, the combination with a metallic frame comprising annular end pieces and plates uniting them, a tubular contact piece -orfthimble formed by the front end piece, a spring mounted upon the outside of each of said plates and insulated therefrom, said springs extending through openings in the plates, withV their free ends lying immediately behindsaid tubular contact piece, and a tubular cover of insulatin material for said frame.

protective devices supported by said frame y 11. he combination with thevfraine of a springjack connection, of contact springs carried thereby adapted to engagea plug,y

and included in the circuits leading to said springs, and a cover for said connector.

one of saidprotective devices 12. A springjack` connector, comprising contact springs in position to engage ccntacts of a plug, protective devices associated with said springs, and

a cover for said connector.

13. A movable springj ack connector com-` prising contact springs adapted Ato engage the contacts of a stationary plug, protective devices connected `with said springs, anda cover for said connector adapted vto serve as a handle therefor.

14.-. A springjack connector com rising aframe, a contact piece* at yone en of said frame, contact springs mounted upon said frame, said contact piece and springs being adapted to engage contact pieces of a plug, and protective devices connected with said springs. l

f 15. In a springjack connector, the combination With a frame, of a contact piece formed at one end'of the frame,' contact springs mounted upon said frame, with their free ends lying behind said contact piece, and protective devices carried bg said frame,

eing included in the circuit of each of said contact springs.

16. A springjack connector comprising a frame, a contact piece formed at the front end of the frame, contact springs mounted upon said frame on o posite sides of the axis thereof, the free en s of said springs lying behind said contact piece, and a handle for said connector.

17. The combination with the frame of a movable4 s rin 'ack connector, of contactA springs carried y said frame, protective devices supported bv said frame and connected serially with said springs, and a cover for' said parts adapted to serve as a handle for the connector.

18. In a springjack connector, the combination with contact springs adapted to engage corresponding contact parts of a plug,

of protective devices included in the circuits leading to said springs, and a cover for said connector. s A

. In witness whereof, we hereunto subscribe our namesthis 23rd day of September A. D.,

f GEORGE K. THOMPSON.

. FRANK R. McBERTY.

Witnesses:

FREDERICK P. McINTosH, ARTHURv G. TEGMEYER. 

